Microfluidic Devices and Methods of Fabrication

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of microchannels of arbitrary complexity and to a method for fabricating such devices. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming microfluidic devices having 3-D microfluidic networks that contain open or closed loop microchannels using a single-step molding process without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication, and to the resultant microfluidic devices. The networks of such microfluidic devices may comprise one or more microchannel circuits which may be discrete or interconnected.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/838,355, filed on Aug. 14, 2007, which application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/822,429, filed on Aug. 15, 2006, which applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH

This invention was made with government support under ECS0210533 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of microchannels of arbitrary complexity and to a method for fabricating such devices. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming microfluidic devices having 3-D microfluidic networks that contain open or closed loop microchannels using a single-step molding process without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication, and to the resultant microfluidic devices. The networks of such microfluidic devices may comprise one or more microchannel circuits which may be discrete or interconnected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is an increasing drive towards the miniaturization of scientific and technological devices. This push began in electronics, with the advent of integrated circuits. More recently micromechanical and microfluidic devices have gained increasing attention. Microfluidic systems make it possible to miniaturize entire instruments, increasing portability while decreasing cost. Microfluidics are finding many applications in scientific and biomedical instrumentation and consumer devices. Microfluidic devices are widely used for biological assays and analytical processes. Such devises are used in ELISA techniques, in DNA and RNA arrays, and to facilitate combinatorial chemistry reactions. Microfluidic devices have been designed to serve as sensors, fluid distribution systems, reaction arrays, and “mini-factories.” Microfluidic devices are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 6,418,968; 6,251,343; 6,086,740; U.S. Patent Publications Nos. 20070157739; 20070145263; 20070151335; 20070141721; EP-A-1129772; and WO00/60352; WO02/11887; WO96/15576.

Conventional microfluidic systems that are used with aqueous media are often fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Fabrication begins with the deposition of a thick layer of photoresist, such as SU-8, on a flat substrate. The photoresist is then exposed and developed, leaving a pattern of constant height that is in the shape of the desired channels. The pattern is then immersed in liquid PDMS resin, which is subsequently cured to turn it into an elastomeric solid. The cured PDMS is removed from the substrate and can be treated with an oxygen plasma and then bonded to another substrate to create the microfluidic system. The original master pattern can be used repeatedly to create many micro fluidic systems.

Due to constraints in fabrication techniques, the channels formed in such networks generally lie within a single plane or, at most, within two adjacent planes. Devices with truly three-dimensional channel geometries can be fabricated only with great difficulty, in a process that requires layer-by-layer construction and careful registration (e.g., careful cutting and stacking of layers of PDMS patterned in this manner) at each step (e.g., U.S. Patent Publication No. 20070139451).

Advances in conventional lithography have been responsible for enormous gains in the power of microelectronic devices in the past few decades. The realization that the same lithographic techniques could be applied to micromachines has led to a parallel revolution in microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) (Lafratta, C. N. et al. (May 23, 2006) “Soft-Lithographic Replication Of 3D Microstructures With Closed Loops,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 103(23):8589-8594; Rai-Coudhury, P. (1997) HANDBOOK OF MICROLITHOGRAPHY, MICROMACHINING, & MICROFABRICATION (SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, Wash.); Moore, D. F. et al. (1999) “Recent Developments In Micromachined Silicon,” Electron. Commun. Eng. J. 11:261-270; WO 2006/093963). However, the fact that conventional lithographic techniques are limited in their ability to create features with significant structure in the dimension perpendicular to the substrate on which fabrication is performed constitutes a fundamental limitation for the development of MEMS devices.

Newer lithographic techniques, such as “LIGA” (Malek, C. K. et al. (2004) “Applications Of LIGA Technology To Precision Manufacturing Of High-Aspect-Ratio Micro-Components And -Systems: A Review, Microelectron. J. 35:131-143), multiphoton absorption polymerization (“MAP”) (Campagnola, P. J. et al. (2000) “3-Dimensional Submicron Polymerization of Acrylamide by Multiphoton Excitation of Xanthene Dyes,” Macromolecules 33:1511-1513; Maruo, S. et al. (1997) Opt. Lett 22:132-134; Kawata, S. et al. (2001) “Finer Features For Functional Microdevices,” Nature 412:697-698; Cumpston, B. H. et al. “Two-Photon Polymerization Initiators For Three-Dimensional Optical Data Storage And Microfabrication,” (1999) Nature 398:51-54; Sun, H. B. et al. (2003) “,” J. Lightwave Technol. 21:624-633; Baldacchini, T. et al. (2004) In: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; Schwarz, J. A. et al. (Eds.) Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 3905-3915; Witzgall, G. et al. (1998) Opt. Lett 23:1745-1747; Belfield, K. D. et al. (2000) “Near-IR Two-Photon Photoinitiated Polymerization Using a Fluorone/Amine Initiating System,” J. Am. Chem. Soc 122:1217-1218; Serbin, J. et al. (2003) “Femtosecond Laser-Induced Two-Photon Polymerization Of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Materials For Applications In Photonics,” Opt. Lett. 28:301-303), and multibeam interference lithography (“MBIL”) (Yang, S. et al. (2002) “Creating Periodic Three-Dimensional Structures by Multibeam Interference of Visible Laser,” Chem. Mater 14:2831-2833; Ullal, C. K. et al. (2003) “,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 20:948-954; Moon, J. H. et al. (2005) J. Macromol. Sci.-Polymer Rev. C45:351-373; Chan, T. Y. M. et al. (2005) Phys. Rev. E Stat. Phys. Plasmas Fluids Relat. Interdiscip. Top 71:046605) also have limited applicability to the production of complex 3D structures.

LIGA is a parallel procedure, but unable to make arbitrarily complex 3D microdevices. MAP is an inherently serial procedure. Structures are created on a voxel-by-voxel basis, and so fabrication on the wafer scale is a slow process. Although MBIL is a highly parallel technique, it can only be used to fabricate periodic structures with spatial periods on the scale of the wavelength of the light used. As a result, none of these techniques is suitable for the mass production of arbitrarily complex 3D microdevices (Lafratta, C. N. et al. (May 23, 2006) “Soft-Lithographic Replication Of 3D Microstructures With Closed Loops,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 103(23):8589-8594).

Microtransfer molding (“μTM”) procedures have also been explored. In such procedures, one pours an elastomeric resin (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane (“PDMS”)) over a master structure and then cures it (Xia, Y. et al. (1998) “Soft Lithography,” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed 37:550-575; Xia, Y. et al. (1998) “Soft Lithography,” Annu. Rev. Mater. Sci 28:153-184; Gates, B. D. et al. (2005) “New Approaches to Nanofabrication: Molding, Printing, and Other Techniques,” Chem. Rev 105, 1171-1196). The mold is then released from the master, filled with a molding material, and pressed against another substrate. The molding material is then cured and the mold released, leaving a replica of the master structure. Microtransfer molding has been used to create wafer-scale replicas of master structures that were created with conventional lithography and to replicate 3-D structures created with MAP (LaFratta, C. N. et al. (2004) “Replication of Two-Photon-Polymerized Structures with Extremely High Aspect Ratios and Large Overhangs,” J. Phys. Chem. B; 2004; 108(31) pp 11256-11258). Because of the elastic nature of the PDMS mold, it is possible to replicate a wide range of structures, including ones with high aspect ratios or substantial overhangs (LaFratta, C. N. et al. (2004) “Replication of Two-Photon-Polymerized Structures with Extremely High Aspect Ratios and Large Overhangs,” J. Phys. Chem. B; 2004; 108(31) pp 11256-11258; Rogers, J. A. (2003) In: THREE-DIMENSIONAL NANOENGINEERED ASSEMBLIES; Orlando, T. M. et al. (Eds.) Materials Res. Soc., Warrendale, Pa., Vol. 739, pp. H.1.2.1).

One deficiency of μTM method is that if the master structure contains a closed loop (such as an arch), when the elastomeric resin is poured over the loop and cured, the loop will be topologically “locked” within the elastomer and thus cannot be released. Thus, closed loop structures cannot be replicated in a single step with μTM. As a result, the molding of closed loops continues to require a layer-by-layer fabrication approach (Gates, B. D. et al. (2005) “New Approaches to Nanofabrication: Molding, Printing, and Other Techniques,” Chem. Rev 105, 1171-1196; Rogers, J. A. (2003) In: THREE-DIMENSIONAL NANOENGINEERED ASSEMBLIES; Orlando, T. M. et al. (Eds.) Materials Res. Soc., Warrendale, Pa., Vol. 739, pp. H.1.2.1); Unger, M. A. et al. “Monolithic Microfabricated Valves and Pumps by Multilayer Soft Lithography,” (2000) Science 288(5463):113-116) that has not been satisfactory (Lafratta, C. N. et al. (May 23, 2006) “Soft-Lithographic Replication Of 3D Microstructures With Closed Loops,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 103(23):8589-8594; WO 2006/093963).

In sum, the ability to create truly 3-D microfluidic systems would enable the fabrication of new types of devices and permits one to make existing devices more compact. Unfortunately, current methods of fabrication of 3-D microfluidic networks requires a time-consuming and complex layer-by-layer assembly, involving a delicate registration step at each layer. As a result, 3-D microfluidic systems cannot presently be produced at attractive costs. Thus, a need remains for a technology capable of forming a 3-D microfluidic network in a single step. The present invention is directed to this and related needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of microchannels of arbitrary complexity and to a method for fabricating such devices. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming microfluidic devices having 3-D microfluidic networks that contain open or closed loop microchannels using a single-step molding process without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication, and to the resultant microfluidic devices. The networks of such microfluidic devices may comprise one or more microchannel circuits, which may be discrete or interconnected.

In detail, the invention provides a microfluidic device comprising a 3-dimensional microfluidic network, the network being a single layer composition comprising a closed, hollow microchannel.

The invention also concerns the embodiment of such microfluidic device wherein the network comprises two microchannel circuits, which may be either discrete or interconnected.

The invention also provides a method of fabricating a microfluidic device comprising a 3-dimensional microfluidic network, the network comprising a closed, hollow microchannel, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

-   -   (A) opening a sealable casting of a mold of the microfluidic         device, the device comprising a closed loop microstructure         having the shape of the desired microfluidic network; the         casting comprising a 3-dimensional structure comprising an         internal cavity that conforms to the shape of the mold;     -   (B) removing the mold from the casting; and     -   (C) sealing the casting to thereby convert the cavity into the         desired microfluidic device.

The invention also concerns the embodiment of such method wherein the network comprises two microchannel circuits, which may be either discrete or interconnected.

The invention also concerns the embodiments of such methods which additionally comprise the step of constructing the sealable casting and/or the step of fabricating the mold.

The invention also concerns the embodiments of such methods wherein the mold comprises a planar membrane and the cavity comprises a space conforming to the shape of the membrane; the planar membrane permitting the casting to be opened to effect removal of the mold. The invention also concerns the embodiments of such methods wherein, after removal of the mold, the casting is sealed by eliminating the cavity space previously occupied by the membrane.

The invention also provides a microfluidic device comprising a 3-dimensional microfluidic network, the network comprising a closed, hollow microchannel, wherein the network is produced through the process of:

-   -   (A) opening a sealable casting of a mold of the microfluidic         device, the device comprising a closed loop microstructure         having the shape of the desired microfluidic network; the         casting comprising a 3-dimensional structure comprising an         internal cavity that conforms to the shape of the mold;     -   (B) removing the mold from the casting; and     -   (C) sealing the casting to thereby convert the cavity into the         desired microfluidic device.

The invention also concerns the embodiment of such microfluidic device wherein the network comprises two microchannel circuits, which may be either discrete or interconnected.

The invention also concerns the embodiments of such microfluidic devices wherein the process additionally comprises the step of constructing the sealable casting and/or the step of fabricating the mold.

The invention also concerns the embodiments of such microfluidic devices wherein the mold comprises a planar membrane and the cavity comprises a space conforming to the shape of the membrane; the planar membrane permitting the casting to be opened to effect removal of the mold. The invention also concerns the embodiments of such microfluidic devices wherein, after removal of the mold, the casting is sealed by eliminating the cavity space previously occupied by the membrane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the replication of a master structure with a closed loop. Panel A depicts a master structure for the creation of an arch. The gray plane denotes the membrane. Panel A illustrates the procedure for MA-μTM of the arch. After creation of the arch with MAP, it is immersed in PDMS. The elastomer is then cured and the mold peeled off the substrate. After gentle compression, the mold is filled with a molding material and pressed against a substrate. After curing of the molding material, the mold is removed, leaving a daughter arch without a membrane. Panel C shows a scanning electron micrograph of a master structure; Panel D shows a scanning electron micrograph of a daughter structure; scale bars are 10 μm.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a master structure that can be used to create a simple 3-D microfluidic network.

FIG. 3 provides a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention using the master structure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 provides a schematic showing how the molds and castings of preferred embodiments of the present invention can be employed to achieve the mass fabrication of the invention's microfluidic devices.

FIG. 5 shows the images of two microfluidic networks of the present invention focused at different depths, and illustrates that the microchannels were at different depths in the PDMS. No crosstalk was visible between the two channels. Each microchannel is 200 μm long.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a means of creating microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of microchannels of arbitrary complexity and to a method for fabricating such devices. In particular, such devices can be created from elastomers such as PDMS using a single master pattern and a one-step process to transfer the pattern into the elastomer. The invention relates to a method for fabricating a network of 3-D (three-dimensional) microchannels for such microfluidic devices, and to such devices themselves. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of open or closed loop microchannels through a single-step molding process without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication, and to single-layer 3-D microfluidic networks. The networks may comprise one or more microchannel circuits which may be discrete or interconnected.

As used herein the term “microfluidic device” refers to device that comprises a network containing one or more microfluid channels, each having cross-sectional dimensions in the range of 1-100 μm, and more preferably in the range of 1-20 μm, or 10-50 μm or 10-100 μm, and lengths of 1-10 millimeters, or even 1-10 centimeters. The cross-sectional geometry of the channels may be circular or elliptical, or may be angular (e.g., having 3, 4, 5, 6, or more sides). Channels of different size, length, or geometry may be employed in the same microfluidic network. Such networks of microchannel(s) may have one, or more than one, microchannel circuit(s), each comprising a microchannel having an input port and an outflow port. Any of a variety of methods may be used to mediate fluid flow in the microchannels of the networks of the present invention, including: air or water pressure, magnetic pumping, peristaltic pumping, capillary diffusion, electrophoresis, photophoresis, thermophoresis, etc. The microchannel(s) of the networks of the devices of the present invention may be discrete (i.e., having no junctions for transfer of fluid or analyte from one microchannel circuit to another), or may be interconnected (e.g., with junctions, valves (one way, two-way, or multi-way), etc. so as to permit communication of fluid from one microchannel circuit to another (see. e.g., U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030196714; U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,232,109; 7,216,671; 7,143,787). The microchannels of the present invention may be either closed (such as a pipe), open (such as a grove or trough), open in part (such as a perforated pipe, or a microchannel that is at one part a pipe and at another part a grove or trough). The microchannels may vary in size, and may have regions that serve as reservoirs, mixing regions, separation regions, etc.

The microfluidic networks of the present invention may have arbitrary complexity. As used herein the term “arbitrary” complexity is intended to denote that the design, shape, orientation, etc. of the microfluidic network of the device is not constrained or limited, but rather is determined on the discretion of the designer of the network.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a closed loop of a microfluidic network may be formed in a single step, as a single layer, in the microfluidic device. As used herein, the term “single layer” is intended to denote that a closed loop of the microfluidic device lies within a single composition and was formed in a single casting step, as opposed to multiple layer-by layer fabrication. The microfluidic devices of the present invention may have multiple single layers in which each single layer contains a closed loop of a microchannel within a single composition that was formed in a single casting step.

The first step in conventional lithography is mask writing, which is a serial process that is relatively slow. However, once a lithographic mask has been created, it can be used repeatedly for the rapid, parallel fabrication of devices on the wafer scale. The present invention provides an analogous approach for the mass production of complex 3-D structures that involves the creation of master structures that can then be replicated in a highly parallel manner. The ability to accomplish this builds upon “Membrane-Assisted μTM” (“MA-μTM”), which provides a means for molding of 3-D objects containing closed loops. “Membrane-Assisted μTM” (“MA-μTM”) is fully disclosed in PCT Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2006/007090, filed on Feb. 27, 2006 (published on Sep. 8, 2006 as WO 2006/093963), which application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

A. MA-μTM

Membrane-Assisted μTM (MA-μTM) (WO 2006/093963) allows for the soft-lithographic replication of true 3-D structures in a single molding step. A technique such as MAP is used to create master structures that have closed loops that are interrupted by thin membranes. In the replication step, one is able to control whether or not the membranes are reproduced. MA-μTM therefore allows one to create, rapidly and with high fidelity, highly complex daughter structures that can include features such as arches or even interlocked rings.

The initial step of MA-μTM involves the use of MAP, preferably following the procedure of Baldacchini, T. et al. (2004) (“Acrylic-Based Resin With Favorable Properties For Three-Dimensional Two-Photon Polymerization,” J. Appl. Phys 95:6072-6076) to create a master structure from an acrylic resin. For MAP fabrication, an acrylic resin is preferably employed that is composed ethoxylated(6) trimethylolpropane triacrylate (Sartomer) (preferably at approximately 48 wt %); tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate (Sartomer) (preferably at approximately 49 wt %); and Lucirin TPO-L (BASF) (preferably at approximately 3 wt %). The ethoxylated(6) trimethy-lolpropane triacrylate serves to help reduce shrinkage upon polymerization). The tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate is provided to promote polymer hardness. Lucirin TPO-L is an acylphosphine oxide radical photoinitiator that has a number of advantageous properties for MAP.

The device mold is them prepared, preferably employing the procedure of LaFratta, C. N. et al. (2004) (“Replication of Two-Photon-Polymerized Structures with Extremely High Aspect Ratios and Large Overhangs,” J. Phys. Chem. B; 2004; 108(31) pp 11256-11258, or of WO 2006/093963). After thorough mixing, the resin is placed in a cell, such as a microscope slide, that has been treated with (3-acryloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane, a 100-im-thick spacer, and a cover slip. The excitation source is preferably a Ti:sapphire laser (Coherent Mira 900-F) producing 100-fs pulses with a center wavelength of 775 nm at a repetition rate of 76 MHz. The beam is expanded to overfill the back aperture of a 40×, 1.3-NA oil immersion objective (Zeiss Neofluar) on an upright microscope. The position of the focal point of the laser relative to the sample is controlled using a motorized microscope stage (Ludl Bio-Precision). Typical fabrication powers are less than 5 mW.

The membrane of the MA-μTM process is preferably prepared in the same manner as the device mold, by employing a laser to make a single line from one desired boundary (e.g., the “left” boundary) of the membrane to the other (e.g., the “right” boundary) starting an initial boundary position (e.g., the “top” boundary) and progressing to the desired final boundary position (e.g., the “bottom” boundary) with a step size of, for example, 1 μm. Thus, in preferred embodiments, the membrane is a substantially planar (i.e., 2-Dimensional (“2-D”)) portion of the device mold. Following fabrication, the sample is preferably washed (e.g., using dimethylformamide, then ethanol), and finally allowed to air dry.

For replication, a few grams of Sylgard 184 (Dow Corning) are mixed in a 10:1 mass ratio of prepolymer and curing agent. The resulting mixture is then centrifuged for several minutes to remove air bubbles. A lightly greased O-ring is placed around the structure, and the PDMS is poured in to fill the O-ring such that a typical final mold is approximately 3 mm thick and 1 cm² in area; these parameters are however not critical to the success of the molding. The sample is then placed in an oven (e.g., at 150° C. for 15 min), after which the PDMS mold is carefully peeled off of the substrate with tweezers.

Replicas are typically made by pouring the same acrylic resin formulation used to make the initial microstructures into the mold, removing any excess resin with dry air, and pressing the mold against a flat glass substrate. The sample is then set under an ultraviolet lamp (e.g., for 30 minutes) to cure. After the curing of the molding material, the mold is peeled off of the hardened replica. Typical peeling times and angles are on the order of 3 s and 10°-60°, respectively. Typically peeling angles on the smaller side of this range were used for towers, and those on the larger side of this range were used for structures with opposing overhangs.

MA-μTM employs a thin membrane to prevent the locking of master structures with closed loops within a mold. This was accomplished by introducing the membrane into the closed loop, such that the elastomer cannot form a closed loop that cannot be released (FIG. 1, Panel A). However, once the elastomer is released from the master, it has a tendency to stick to itself in the region where the membrane was. This self-adhesion can be further promoted by compression of the mold. If the mold is then filled with molding material, no molding material will enter the membrane region, and the replica will have a closed loop in the desired region (FIG. 1, Panel B). The adhesion of the mold to itself in the membrane region is not permanent, and so the replica structure can be released from the mold. It is possible to create a master structure that contains numerous membranes over a large area and to mold a replica in which all of the membranes disappear to create multiple closed loops. An example of a master structure and a daughter structure with a closed loop are shown in FIG. 1, Panel C and FIG. 1, Panel D.

B. Modification of MA-μTM to Permit the Fabrication of Complex 3-D Microfluidic Networks

As discussed above, the MA-μTM procedure uses a membrane to permit an “openable” mold of a closed loop so as to produce a desired, solid (i.e., non-hollow channel-containing) structure. The present invention derives in part from the recognition that if the region of the elastomeric mold corresponding to the membrane were permanently closed, the remainder of the mold would form a microchannel in three dimensions. Thus, whereas the MA-μTM procedure is concerned with producing the replicated solid structure resulting from the introduction of a molding composition into the mold, the present invention is concerned with using a master structure to produce a “negative” casting of the mold. Thus, in the present invention, a mold of a device comprising a desired microfluidic network is used to create a casting. The casting creates a cavity that conforms to the shape of the microfluidic network and membrane(s) of the mold. Upon removal of the mold from the casting, the cavity thus comprises a hollow region comprising the desired microfluidic network and 2-dimensional (2-D) planar gaps (corresponding to spaces that had been filled by the membrane(s) of the mold). More than one membrane may be used in the mold, and thus the cavity may comprise more than one planar gaps corresponding to spaces that had been filled by such membranes.

To form a closed microchannel, any 2-D planar gap(s) that contact the microchannel must be closed, preferably permanently. Closure of such planar gap(s) may be readily accomplished. For example, PDMS can be subjected to an oxygen plasma and then compressed, causing it to bond to itself permanently thereby filling and sealing (i.e., eliminating) the region that had previously been occupied by the membrane (i.e., the “negative” membrane). FIG. 3 provides a schematic of a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention. FIG. 3, Panel A shows the production of a mold of the desired microfluidic device. The depicted “arches” will become the “pipes” of the final microfluidic device. Two membranes are shown; these permit a casting of the mold to be opened so that the mold may be removed from the casting. FIG. 3, Panel B shows the addition of resin around the “arches” thereby forming the mold. Since the arches contain membranes (as in MA-μTM), the mold is not closed and can be removed. Removal of the mold creates an internal cavity in the casting that conforms to the shape of the device and the membranes (FIG. 3, Panel C). The planar gaps in the cavity that are created by the membranes are permanently closed, as shown in FIG. 3, Panel D, thereby creating hollow, closed channels surrounded by resin. FIG. 3, Panel E shows the use of the ends of the channels as ports for the inflow and outflow of fluids. Since the channels are closed within the resin, the fluids flowing in the channels do not mix (as illustrated by the non-mixing of the shading of the channels in FIG. 3, Panel E).

It is to be noted that the removed mold (FIG. 3, Panel C) can be reused to produce additional castings. Likewise, prior to permanently closing the planar gaps in the cavity that are created by the membranes (FIG. 3, Panel D), the casting may be used to produce additional molds. Thus, the invention provides a means for producing both additional molds and castings and thus permits the mass fabrication of the microfluidic devices of the present invention (FIG. 4).

The methods of the present invention can be employed to create microfluidic devices that comprise 3-D micro fluidic networks over large volumes. Master structures with membranes can be created with a variety of techniques, including but not limited to multi-photon absorption polymerization (MAP), microsterolithography, and LIGA. The horizontal extent of microfluidic networks created in this manner can span many square centimeters, and the vertical extent can range from millimeters to centimeters. A single master can be used to create multiple (i.e. tens to hundreds, or more) replicas of the microfluidic device, and molding techniques can be used to create replicas of the master structure that can be used to create additional masters of the microfluidic device. Thus; a single master structure can be used to create an essentially unlimited number of microfluidic structures; much as is the case for conventional elastomeric microfluidics.

C. Uses of the Microfluidic Networks of the Present Invention

The microfluidic devices of the present invention may be used in any of a broad array of applications may be modified to employ the microfluidic devices of the present invention in lieu of microfluidic devices made using layer-by-layer fabrication methods. Such applications include protein crystallography (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,244,402; 7,217,321, etc.); combinatorial chemistry (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,097,809; 7,220,549; 7,169,560; 6,9061,58; 6,887,384; and WO 07081386; WO 7081385, etc.); organic chemistry (e.g., U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030138779;); diagnostic, oligonucleotides sequencing, amplification and forensic medical tests (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,169560; 7,118,910; 7,097,809; 6,960,437; 6,399,389, etc.); drug delivery (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,238,268; 7,226,439, etc.), capillary electrophoresis (e.g.,), optical detection (e.g., U.S. Patent Publications Nos. 20060227325; 20070029202; EP1526372; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,838,680; 6,316,781, etc.), gas chromatography and separation technology (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,217,637; 7,007,710, etc.) and cell and particle separations (e.g. U.S. Patents Nos. 7,033,473; 7,067,306; 6,936,811; 6,790,330; U.S. Patent Publications Nos 20060134599 and 20060096691; WO 7044642, EP 1569510, etc.).

Having now generally described the invention, the same will be more readily understood through reference to the following examples, which are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to be limiting of the present invention unless specified.

EXAMPLE 1 MA-μTM Master Structure Fabrication Process

Master structures were fabricated from an acrylic resin (25) composed of 48 wt % ethoxylated (6) trimethylolpropane triacrylate, 49 wt % Tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate, and 3 wt % Lucrin-TPOL (the photoinitiator). The sample preparation and fabrication procedure have been described in detail (25). Typical fabrication powers were less than 5 mW at the sample. The membranes were made under the same conditions as the rest of the structure and were usually fabricated last. A typical membrane is on the order of 500 nm thick, whereas the surrounding features that are to be replicated are generally at least a factor of 4 thicker. After fabrication the unexposed resin was washed away with ethanol.

To create a mold, a few grams of Sylgard 184 were mixed in a 10:1 mass ratio of prepolymer to curing agent. The resulting mixture then was centrifuged for several minutes to remove air bubbles. A PDMS form containing a 1 cm×1 cm×2 mm well, which had previously been modified with (tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl) dimethylchlorosilane, was filled with PDMS and vacuum degassed at 100 mtorr pressure (1 torr=133 Pa) for 1 min. The microstructure then was placed onto this degassed PDMS upside down and maintained at 110° C. for 30 min. The PDMS mold then was removed from the PDMS form and carefully peeled off the substrate with tweezers. In most cases the direction of peeling was parallel to the membrane. The same procedure was followed when making molds from replicated structures with the additional step that the replicated polymer be surface modified with (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane, which ensures that the PDMS will cure properly at the polymer interface.

The 1 cm×1 cm×2 mm mold containing the shape of the structure was flexed by placing it over the opening of a 12-mm-diameter hose and reducing the pressure in the hose to 60 torr by using a hand pump. If the negative of the structure is on the side of the PDMS that is exposed to vacuum, the mold will flex to open the membrane, whereas if the negative of the structure is on the opposite side of the PDMS, the mold will flex to close the membrane. After slowly releasing the pressure, the mold was restored to its initial shape, and care was taken to no longer flex it. Although any number of materials can be used to create replicas, here we used the same resin that was used for MAP fabrication. A drop of resin was placed between the mold and a piece of acrylate-modified glass and UV cured (365 nm) for 5 min. After the replica was cured, the mold was removed with tweezers.

EXAMPLE 2 Modification of MA-μTM to Form a Microfluidic Device

As an example of the present invention, a microfluidic structure is prepared from two solid arches that are at right angles to one another, and one of which passes over the other (FIG. 2). In the master structure, a membrane passes through the center of each arch. Thus, if an elastomeric resin is cured over this structure, it can subsequently be released (in accordance with the MA-μTM method). The cured elastomer can then be subject to an oxygen plasma and compressed, bonding it together in the negative membrane region thereby forming a non-openable, closed loop mold (contrary to the MA-μTM method). The resultant structure will contain two channels, one that passes over the other (FIG. 2).

The structure (FIG. 2) was prepared using a prepolymer resin consisting of a 1:1 mole ratio of dipentaerythritol pentaacrylate (Sartomer SR399) and tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate triacrylate (Sartomer SR368) along with 3 wt % of the photoinitiator, Lucirin TP0-1 (BASF). A drop of this resin was placed on a glass slide (25 mm×25 mm×1 mm) previously modified with (3-acryloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane, which acts as an adhesion promoter. A spacer of approximately 200 μm in height was placed around the drop of resin and a coverslip was secured atop the resin. This sample was then placed in an optical microscope under a 40×1.3 NA oil immersion objective. Laser light from Spectra-Physics Mai Tai was sent through the objective and focused inside the resin. The beam had a center wavelength of 790 nm, a pulse width of approximately 100 fs, and at the sample there was approximately 8 mW of average power. The 20 μm×20 μm cross section of each arch support was made by 40 parallel lines each 20 μm long and spaced 0.5 μm apart. They were made at 10 μm/s. Both arches were made concurrently, one layer at a time with a difference of 5 μm between layers. After completing both arches, the membrane was fabricated at 30 μm/s by making a single line from one support to the other starting from the top of the arch and going down to the surface of the substrate with a step size of 1 μm. Following fabrication, the sample was washed in dimethylformamide, then in ethanol, and finally allowed to air dry. To ease release of the mold, the sample was O₂ plasma treated and placed in a vacuum desiccator with a few drops of (tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl) dimethyl chlorosilane for 15 minutes. The molding material, Sylgard 184, was mixed in 10:1 ratio, base to curing agent, and degassed under vacuum. This degassed PDMS was poured into a 1 cm×1 cm×2 mm form and the sample was placed upside down onto the liquid PDMS and heated at 120° C. for 30 minutes. After curing, the mold was carefully removed with tweezers by peeling in the direction 45° between both arches. When the mold was removed it was gently flexed in a clamp to a have radius of curvature of about 1 cm with the sample cavity on the convex side of the bent mold. The region of the mold corresponding to the membrane was now exposed in this flexed mold and was O₂ plasma treated in order to permanently seal it. After plasma treatment, it flexed to the same degree as before but this time the sample cavity was on the concave side of the mold. The tension in the mold was slowly released and the flat mold was heated at 120° C. for 10 minutes. After this heat treatment the area where the membranes were was sealed. A drop of red food coloring was then placed at an opening of one microchannel and a drop of blue food coloring at one opening of the other microchannel. After the channels had filled by capillary action, photographs were taken at different depths (FIG. 5). Visual examination of the microfluidic network showed no dye crosstalk between the two channels, indicating that the fluid in one microchannel was not leaking into the other.

All publications and patents mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of fabricating a microfluidic device comprising a 3-dimensional microfluidic network, said network comprising a closed, hollow microchannel, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (A) opening a sealable casting of a mold of said microfluidic device, said device comprising a closed loop microstructure having the shape of said desired microfluidic network; said casting comprising a 3-dimensional structure comprising an internal cavity that conforms to the shape of said mold; (B) removing said mold from said casting; and (C) sealing said casting to thereby convert said cavity into said desired microfluidic device.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said network comprises two microchannel circuits.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two microchannel circuits of said network are discrete.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two microchannel circuits of said network are interconnected.
 5. The method of claim 1, which additionally comprises the step of constructing said sealable casting.
 6. The method of claim 1, which additionally comprises the step of fabricating said mold.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said mold comprises a planar membrane and said cavity comprises a space conforming to the shape of said membrane; said planar membrane permitting said casting to be opened to effect removal of said mold.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein after removal of said mold, said casting is sealed by eliminating said cavity space previously occupied by said membrane. 